Intermittent preventive therapy for malaria: Arguments in favour of artesunate and sulphamethoxypyrazine - Pyrimethamine combination

Abstract

Recent publications put a serious warning regarding the inefficacy of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for the intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in young children (IPTi). Recommendations for other therapies are being made. By using a different and better sulphonamide (sulphamethoxypyrazine), it is possible to manufacture fixed dose combination pills with artesunate and pyrimethamine. This combination permits a full therapy over 24 hours (dosing interval being 12 hours). It is recommended that this combination should be tested in future field studies of IPTi. © 2011 Jansen; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.